Q. Do you think you are overpaying for your manned guarding service?

A. In this economic climate, we have looked closely at our Client charge rates as well as tightening the geographical area that our Managers oversee, therefore reducing our overheads resulting in very competitive rates whilst not comprising our quality service.

Q. I am not happy with the calibre of our current Security Officers, will you have to re-employ them if I award you the contract?

A. In accordance with TUPE Transfer of Undertakings (protection of employment) Regulations 1981, the existing staff whether employed directly or through a third party have the right to transfer under their existing terms and conditions of employment. Crystal will consult with the transferring staff to ensure the handover is seamless with minimal client input.

All staff will be re-trained, supported and evaluated prior to any assessment being made of whether they are of the correct calibre to carry out the position efficiently and effectively.

There are many instances where staff have been let down by factors such as: lack of management support, poor training, no training and miscommunication. Our management style combats this.

It is also possible to change the terms and conditions of contract given the applicable notice, which may include a change of hours worked.

Crystal will always replace staff who produce substandard work having been given the training and tools to provide an excellent standard of work, our duty is to our client and to the other members of the team who perform.

Q. How often will I see my Contract Manager? We have been let down by other companies, not seeing managers for months at a time!

A. Crystal operates an usually high ratio of managers to contracts, approximately 1 for every 14 contracts therefore our Managers have more time than most of our competitors to spend on site. Our Managers are also assigned smaller geographical areas to reduce travelling time allowing more site visits to be completed.

Contract Manager site visits are as frequent as each customer requires, most opt for monthly. These visits are supported by additional visits from the General Manager who sets the frequency of visits with the Client, performs spot checks and oversees auditing of sites.

Q. What formal procedures are set up to ensure a pro-active management service and efficient communication between the security team and the Client?

A. Crystal conforms to BS EN ISO 9001, the accreditation for Quality Management. Our Security Officers have a site folder on each site with telephone numbers for both their assigned Contract Manager and their regional office as well as Incident Reports to complete if anything unusual happens during their shift. We pass all contact details to our Clients of staff assigned to their contract.

All staff have induction training and ongoing training programmes, training records are signed by our staff and their Managers then kept on site with a copy held at our offices. We place a “ Daily Occurrence “ book on site to record any incidents, visitors, deliveries, hand over notes and site patrols carried out. Our Managers all have smart phones to receive your instructions by email or phone.

We also operate a 24 hour help desk, a Duty Manager roster for out of hours management and we have a Mobile Supervision team who visit sites out of hours. Our Mobile Supervisors carry patrol batons that record electronically, the sites they have been to.

Q. What vetting procedure do you provide to screen staff?

A. All staff are reference checked and vetted in accordance with BS7858 and hold SIA licenses. Work permits are checked against passports where applicable liaising with the UK Borders Agency, Criminal Records Bureau checks are carried out where required. Our Human Resources department maintain a Right to Work database that tracks renewal dates of passports, work permits and SIA licenses.

Q. How does Crystal cope with absenteeism, what back up is there in place?

A. Scheduled absences such as holidays and unplanned absences are covered by other staff working at the same site where possible, alternative site trained staff also help provide cover. Holidays are pre-booked to avoid multiple absences giving Site Managers and off-site Contract Managers time to plan effective cover.

Q. Is there a language barrier which is causing communication problems with your security team?

A. Crystal employ many differing nationalities from all over the world however all staff are required to have a good command of the English language to be able to complete their Basic Job Training in order to obtain their SIA licence.   

Q. Do your complaints go unresolved?

A. As a BS EN ISO 9001 company, we have a rigid and approved complaints procedure audited by the British Standards Institute. This system, records, escalates and tracks complaints until resolved and signed off by our Senior Management.

Q. Are staff uniformed?

A. All staff are supplied with a free uniform and any PPE such as safety boots, high visibility vests/jackets, hard hats and protective glasses as required on site. We can provide different styles of uniform appropriate to the type of site we are securing and this will be discussed during our site survey. Uniforms carry the company logo and photographic ID badges are issued. All our Security Officers are required to carry and display their SIA licence at all times. Uniforms are renewed frequently.